With such varied locations for itineraries, it's no surprise there are several cruise operators who offer trips along this river. Among the most popular are:

Viking River Cruises

This company, based in California, gives travelers several different cruise options, including:

Romantic Danube: This eight-day cruise gives you the opportunity to explore the historic city of Budapest for a day before continuing on to Vienna, Austria. After your visit to Vienna, which includes a city tour, you head north to Melk. From there, you pay a visit to three cities in Germany: Passau, Regensburg and Nuremberg.

Danube Holiday Explorer: This eight-day trip only takes place during the month of December. It tours the Wachau Valley in Austria and the Bavarian countryside in southern Germany. As you travel from Nuremberg to Vienna, or vice versa, you will get to stop at traditional Christmas markets and purchase handcrafted gifts for friends and family.

Eastern European Waltz: If you have 16 days to spend on vacation, you can take this cruise and explore all eight of the countries that border the Danube. The trip takes you all the way from Bucharest, Romania, to Passau, Germany. You can even purchase an extension package and spend a few additional days in Prague.

To find out more about these cruises, call 1-800-304-9616.

Avalon Waterways

Colorado-based cruise operator, Avalon, offers shorter itineraries for those who simply want a small glimpse of what the Danube has to offer. You can take a four-day trip from Vienna to Budapest or a five-day reverse trip from Budapest to Vienna. There are also cruises through Germany and Central Europe, along with special holiday cruises. To learn more about Avalon Waterways' cruises, visit its website.

Euro River Cruises

This New York-based travel agency can help you book two different Danube River cruises. The first is a five-day trip that starts in Vienna and ends in Vienna. Along the journey, you will visit Budapest and Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. The second voyage is called "A Taste of the Danube." The cruise lasts five days and takes you from Budapest to Vienna via Melk and Linz in Austria. You can also pay a visit to Grein, a country getaway nestled at the foot of a castle.

To find out more about the aforementioned cruises, call 1-800-526-8539.

Danube River Cruise Considerations

It's important to note all of the cruise options listed above take place on small ships. You will not find an ocean liner that will venture up the Danube River. Rather the ships offering passage along the Danube River only accommodate a couple hundred passengers and have only a few entertainment options. However, the great thing about river cruise ships is they can dock at just about any port, which allows you more opportunities to explore various cities.

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